


One Plus One Equals Four

by CabbageOriley



Series: A Growing Pack [8]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: F/M, M/M, Mpreg, One Big Happy Family, Past Rape/Non-con
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-19
Updated: 2014-07-19
Packaged: 2018-02-09 14:14:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1986027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CabbageOriley/pseuds/CabbageOriley
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This story takes place after "From an Ember to a Flame".  Part 8 of my series.  The pack kids are grown up and ready to have a family of their own.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A fear still real

            Logan wakes with a start when he hears his brother screaming. He rushes to Nathan’s bed and shakes him. Within a few seconds, Nathan is fully awake and beginning to calm down. He rubs the heels of his hands into his eyes and flops back onto the bed.

            Logan sighs and shuffles back to his bed. He looks at the clock- 2:45. Rolling to his side, he tries to go back to sleep.

            His parents don’t come running when Nathan has nightmares anymore. Sometimes they still come in to check later, but the terrified screams don’t set off alarms like they used to.

            It’s been one year since Nathan was kidnapped, but the memories are still there. He still wakes up sweaty and panicked. The episodes have died down, though. Instead of once a night or once a week, it’s only once or twice a month.

            Logan raises back up to look at the clock. 2:47- great. His brain is awake again. Once it’s up, it’s up. No sleep for him tonight.

            A lot has changed in one year. Logan recently picked out a ring for Alexis. It’s way over his budget, so it’ll be on layaway for quite a while. No grad proposal for at least five months. He wonders when Nathan is finally going to pop the question to Lycea. They’re really serious. Like, REALLY serious. Nathan is always with her. Going out to eat, watching movies, quick weekend trips to the beach or Disneyland. About a month ago, Logan finally demanded some “serious bro time”. The twins spent a whole day together. It was awesome.

            But, after that, Logan let Nathan go back and spend some time with Lycea. And, by “some time” he means 24/7. Looking at the clock again… 3:00. Great. There’s a whole four hours until he can even begin to convince his dad to make pancakes.

 

            Nathan doesn’t go back to sleep immediately. He keeps thinking of his dream. After he killed the pack that kidnapped him, he thought the dreams would stop. He was sorely mistaken. The death of his rapist didn’t stop the dreams. It only changed them.

            Now, he never knows what to expect. Sometimes he dreams of being pressed down to the dirty floor. Other times, he sees the shrapnel tearing into his enemies. And, yet others, he’ll dream of losing his baby all over again.

            He doesn’t understand it and probably never will. When Deaton told him he was human and NOT pregnant, he was filled with relief and utter joy. Later, though, he was filled with and emptiness. It felt like something had been taken away from him. The opportunity to create a new life and carry it within him- to protect it. Sometimes he feels like he has failed. He failed to protect the life inside him because he was selfish. He was selfish, scared, young, naïve, hurt.

            Some days he hates Yiayia for medicating him. The days he sees a pregnant woman and her husband walking along- so happy, so together, so excited… Those are the days he finds himself absentmindedly resting his hand on his stomach, wishing there was a bulge instead of flatness.

            Most days, though, he is one hundred percent thankful. He feels so indebted to Yiayia. He could never thank her enough for what she did. He was not ready to be a parent. Most days he is so happy things worked out the way they did. Today is not one of those days.

            Once he hears Logan begin to snore again, he slips out of bed and slinks down the hallway.

            “Dad.” Nate rests his head against the master bedroom door as he waits. “Dad?”

            Derek opens the door. “Are you okay?”

            “Can we talk?”

            “Sure.” Derek puts some slippers on and exits the bedroom. “Do we need cookies?”

            “No, Dad. Just come talk.” Nathan begins walking downstairs.

            Derek follows. When Nathan falls down on the couch, Derek sits down across from him. “What is it?”

            “Would you give me the bite if I asked for it?”

            Derek is stunned that his son went straight to the point. He never does that- not even when they do have cookies to eat during the conversation. “You’ve thought a lot about this.”

            “Yes, sir.”

            He sighs. “Can I ask why you want it?”

            “I… even though I didn’t want it back then, I was getting used to it. Now, it feels like something has been taken away from me.”

            “The power?” Derek questions.

            “No! Definitely not that. I miss the connection that I had with all you guys. I wasn’t technically under your leadership, but you were all still my pack. You’re the pack I chose. You’re still my pack, but… I want more.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love comments and constructive criticism!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU FOR READING!!!


	2. Bite me

            The bite goes well. The whole pack is there to support him. They gather around him in the forest as he lies on the ground and waits for his Alpha’s teeth to sink in to his flesh. Lycea is there, too. She holds her boyfriend’s hand through everything.

            Derek kneels beside his son. He raises the short sleeve on his son’s shirt and feels himself shift. They’ve decided a bite on the arm would be better than another bite on the side- less traumatic that way- fewer bad memories.

            “Are you ready, Nate?” Stiles asks. The boy nods his head and locks eyes with Lycea.

            Derek closes his eyes and breathes in the scent of his pack. He leans down and allows his fangs to slowly pierce his son’s shoulder.

With a small gasp, Nathan scrunches his eyes closed. He can feel his blood trickle down his arm and onto his t-shirt. And, then it happens. One moment he can only feel the blood and the next he can smell it. He can hear Lycea yelp as his claws scratch against her skin.

            The very first time he turned he was panicked and in excruciating pain. This time is different. He’s with his pack. He can feel them as if there were strings attaching all of them to his soul- or inner wolf. The world around him pulsates like the ebb and flow of the tide. Heartbeats pound in his head, and he can hear the wildlife in the forest around him. Birds and squirrels, the occasional deer or raccoon.

When he finally opens his eyes, the pack can see them glowing yellow. Lycea looks at him. “Hey. You changed really fast.”

            His pointed teeth feel odd in his mouth after being human for so long. He focuses and shifts back to normal. “It’s because I’ve been a wolf before.”

            Logan butts in and smacks him on his still healing shoulder. He ignores the growl. “Hey, bro. Congrats… though, it’d been a whole lot easier if you’d just stayed this way the first time. BUT, whatever!” He hugs his twin. “Welcome back.”

            “Thanks.”

 

 

            A month after he’s turned, Nathan finally gathers up the courage to finally ask Lycea to marry him. And guess what? She says yes. Lydia helps her plan the wedding and the reception, and she helps her shop for a dress. Jackson helps with the men’s fashions. Stiles takes care of all the food and catering. All the pack women help with the bridal shower. Erica and Laura try their hardest to plan a bachelorette party Lycea will never forget, and Logan is in charge of the bachelor party.

            The wedding is beautiful. The reception is extravagant. And, the honeymoon is tropical and serene. But, it doesn’t take too long for the honeymoon to be over, and six months later they agree to start trying. Lycea and Nathan have talked through things thoroughly. They’ve agreed. If there’s a way to get Nathan pregnant, they’ll do it.


	3. Let it be, baby

They’re sitting in Yiayia’s den eating coffeecake when they ask her.

            “Can you get me pregnant?”

            The look on Yiayia’s face is one of shock and disbelief. “You mean to tell me… after all I did… you…” She takes a deep breath and stands. “I’ll see what I can do.” She shuffles out of the room. Nathan can hear her muttering “unbelievable… after all my hard work… wishy washy youth…” as she rattles through the cabinets.

            She comes back in with a small crate. Even with all his training from Deaton, Nathan has no idea what half of it is. “Take this- all of this- an hour before you defile my granddaughter.” Nathan blushes. “It will switch things.”

            “Switch things?” Lycea asks. “What does that mean?”

            “It will switch things. Things will just switch.”

            Nathan is confused. “Just switch? That doesn’t make any sense.”

            “If it works, does it need to make sense?”

            Nathan and Lycea look at each other. “What’s the chance it works?”

            She pats Lycea on the knee. “It boosts fertility. One of you will get pregnant. Hopefully it will be Nathan.”

 

 

            When Lycea’s pregnancy test comes out positive, Nathan can’t help but be jealous. He congratulates her, but it’s only half sincere. Of course he’s ecstatic that he’s going to be a dad. He just wanted to be a mom, too.

            Lycea hugs him, and he completely breaks down. He sobs into his wife’s shoulder.

            “Maybe next time, Nate. We’ll try again.”

 

 

 

            They plan to tell the pack on Thanksgiving. They head over around noon. Nathan insists he carry in the heavy casserole, so Lycea is the first one inside. She immediately covers her nose.

            “Oh my gosh, what is that?”

            “The dressing,” Stiles explains. “We cooked the onion and celery beforehand so it would incorporate better.”

            Lycea turns absolutely green. “Excuse me.” She rushes to the bathroom to throw up.

            Laura’s eyes are wide. “Oh my gosh, she’s pregnant. I’m going to be an aunt.”

            “You think so?” Alexis asks.

            “She’s totally pregnant.”

            Nathan enters and doubles over. “Oh my gosh. What IS THAT?!” He only makes it to the trash can.

            Wyatt Whittemore scrunches up his nose. “Oh that’s just gross.”

            “Happy Thanksgiving,” his brother, Luke, snarks.

            “Okay,” Laura slumps, “maybe it’s just the dressing.”

            Lycea comes back into the kitchen and hurries to her husband. “Nate? What’s wrong?”

            “Can’t you smell that?!” he whines.

            “Of course I can smell that. It’s horrible.”

            “Hey,” Stiles says in an offended tone. “Don’t knock the dressing. That’s how my mom used to make it.”

            “Why are you so affected by it?” Lycea asks as she rubs circles into his back.

            “I don’t know.” Nathan stands up only to hurry to the bathroom. Lycea follows him and comes back a minute later.

            “Nathan says he feels horrible. Maybe if you open a window or something to let the air in?”

            Defeated, Stiles nods. “Take the dressing out on the porch…” Derek obeys, and Stiles waves at the dish longingly as it disappears outside.

            Lycea takes and empty seat at the island. Derek looks at her when he walks back in. “How are you feeling?”

            She smiles. “Fine. I think it was just the initial smell of it that was overwhelming.”

            Laura sits down beside her. “Do you want some coffee?”

            “No thanks. Just a glass of water is fine,” she replies.

            “Make that two,” Nathan smiles as he enters the room. He turns to his brother. “Oh, Logan, by the way. I hope you don’t mind that I used your toothbrush.”

            “Dude, you better not have!”

            “Oh, but I did.” Nathan laughs.

            Logan punches Nathan, and Nathan grabs him by the neck. “Happy Thanksgiving, bro.”

            Laura slowly leans over and lightly sniffs her sister-in-law’s neck.

            Smack!- Stiles hits her in the back with his wooden spoon. She sits back up and looks at him. “Dad, this is my thing. How many of the pack pre…”

            Stiles glares at her and leads her outside.

            “How many of the pack pregnancies have I predicted?!” She waves her arms in the air. “You, Aunt Lydia, Aunt Erica…”

            “Okay, okay. But if Lycea is pregnant, she needs to be the one to tell us. Stop trying to find things that prove she is.”

            “Oh, Dad…”

            “Laura, I mean it. Don’t. If she is, they’ll tell us when they’re ready.”

            “Fine.” Laura sulks back into the house behind her father. Everyone helps get the rest of the meal ready. Soon, the entire pack sits down to eat their holiday meal.

            Laura doesn’t say anything when Lycea refuses to drink anything but water. She doesn’t say anything when Lycea begins to carry the green bean casserole into the dining room, and Nate quickly grabs it away from her. (She doesn’t miss the eye roll Lycea gives him.) Laura doesn’t say anything when she sees Lycea resting her hand on her stomach during lunch or when she sees Nate and Lycea smiling at each other during dessert. She doesn’t even say anything when Nathan insists Lycea sit on the couch after lunch instead of on the floor with the other young adults.

            But, Laura definitely says something when Nate and Lycea get everyone’s attention, and she says, “I’m pregnant.” Laura jumps out of her seat screaming, “YES!!!! I knew it!!!” She grabs Lycea into a hug and kisses her on the cheek. Then, she grabs onto her brother and squeezes him tight.

            The whole room erupts into cheers and congratulatory remarks.

 

 

            Later, Stiles pulls his son aside. He knows something’s wrong.

            “Nate, what is it?”

            “Nothing.”

            Stiles rolls his eyes. “Do we need to talk about this over cookies? Natey, come on. What’s bothering you?”

            “I… I had a chance to have a baby, and I wasted it.” Nathan sighs.

            “What?” He studies the young man in front of him. “Oh, Nate. I had no idea you felt that way… That you regretted it.”

            “I don’t! I mean…” Nathan begins to fidget in front of his father. “I don’t, not all of the time. Or, I didn’t…” He sits down on the first step of the porch. “He or she would have been two by now.”

            Stiles kneels beside him. “Kiddo, you’re still going to have a kid soon. You’re not carrying it, Lycea is, but… You’re going to love it just as much as you would have if you were the pregnant one.”

            “I know. I’m… I’m thrilled. I really am, I just… I wish I hadn’t wasted my chance.”

            Stiles nods. He pulls Nathan over so he can hold his arm around him. “It’ll be okay, Nate.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love comments and constructive criticism!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU FOR READING!!!


	4. Shades of Gray

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Probably my favorite chapter because I got to write Derek and Stiles' antics again. Love 'em!

            Derek looks at himself in the mirror. He gets really close under the lights and uses his fingers to pull his hair to the side so he can see his scalp. Running his fingers through his hair, he tries to see every inch of his head.

            “Um… babe,” Stiles walks into the bathroom. “Whataya doin’?”

            “Looking for grays.” The alpha sighs. “I’m getting old.”

            “What?!” Stiles guffaws. “No, you’re not.”

            “We’re going to be grandparents, Stiles. That makes us old.”

            Stiles wraps his arms around his husband. “Being old doesn’t mean you automatically get gray hair, Der. Plus, we’re werewolves, so we age slower.”

            “Yeah, we age slower, but I’m older than you. If you have gray hair, surely I’ll be getting some too.”

            Stiles barks out a laugh. “Silly sourwolf! I, Stiles Hale, do not have a single gray hair. Stop kidding yourself.”

            “Uh, yeah you do.”

            Stiles furrows his brows. “What are you talking about? I’ve never seen a single gray hair.”

            “That’s because I always pull them out while you’re sleeping,” Derek explains as he continues to examine his own head of hair.

            “What?!” Stiles jerks back from his husband as if he’s been struck. “You… you mean to tell me you’ve been pulling my hair out while I sleep.”

            “Only the gray ones,” Derek answers nonchalantly.

            “OH MY GOSH!” Stiles shrieks as he shoves Derek out of the way. He presses his face as close to the mirror as he can and starts threading through his hair. He’s a man on a mission. “Derek, you’re lying, I seriously don’t see any gray hair.”

            Derek leans over Stiles so he can see. “Right there.”

            “What? Where?”

            Derek grabs the silver hair and pulls it up to show his goofball of a husband.

            “NO! Don’t pull it! Pull it and I’ll get seven more in its place.”

            Derek rolls his eyes and gives the hair a gentle tug. “That’s an old wives tale.”

            “Wives tales are true, Derek.”

            “If they were true, after all the grays I’ve pulled out already, your whole head would be gray by now.” He starts to pull it again.

            “Don’t you dare, wolf boy!” Stiles glares into the mirror. “Aha!” He points into the mirror at Derek’s head. “Gray hair! Gray hair! You have one too.”

            Derek immediately releases him and looks into the mirror. They spend the next hour and a half like that. Looking for each other’s grays like chimpanzees look for bugs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love comments and constructive criticism!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU FOR READING!!!


	5. Christmas, Christmas time is here

            The whole pack is gathered together on the day after Christmas because both Lycea and Nathan were too sick to celebrate with them on Christmas Day.

            “It was nice of you to stay home with your wife since she wasn’t feeling well, Nate,” Alexis comments.

            “Stay home with me? He was worse than I was,” Lycea says.

            “Really, Nate?” Stiles is worried. “We don’t get sick.”

            “I don’t know, Dad. I’ve felt really bad ever since we were all training last week, and I got overheated.”

            Derek squeezes his son’s shoulder. “Maybe you should talk to Deaton. You may have gotten into something out in the woods.”

            “Maybe,” Nathan mutters.

            “I think it’s just ‘La Couvade’,” Allison smiles. “I remember when I was pregnant with Kierstan Scott swore his boobs were getting bigger and that he could feel something kick…”

            “Oh, Allison, you really don’t have to bring that up!” Scott covers his face as everyone laughs. All the adults start reminiscing about their own pregnancies. Finally, Laura speaks up.

            “Well, I’ve heard of sympathetic pregnancy before, but this is ridiculous. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear you were pregnant, too.”

            Everyone laughs, but Nate can’t help but look at his wife with hope in his eyes. When she excuses herself to the bathroom, he follows along. He locks the door and waits for her morning sickness to pass. She washes her hands and looks at Nathan’s reflection in the mirror. “Do you think?”

            He shakes his head. “She said one of us.”

            “But what if? What if you’re pregnant too, wouldn’t that be amazing!”

            “I have been feeling pretty lousy, but… Geeze, Lycea. I don’t want to get my hopes up.” Nathan puts his hands on the porcelain countertop and leans over. “I couldn’t take it if… If I thought I was and then wasn’t.”

            “I know, babe.” She hugs him. “We still have Yiayia’s test. We’ll see when we get home.”

 

 

 

 

            Lycea goes into the bathroom after waiting five minutes. “Nate?”

            “I can’t do it.”

            She smiles and walks over to him. “Babe, yes you can.” She takes the cloth pouch on which Yiayia has cleverly cross-stitched a dead rabbit and hands it to her husband.

            “What if it’s negative? I don’t know what I’ll do.” Nathan puts the test back down by the sink.

            “That’s how I felt before I saw my positive one.”

            “Lycea. No. You should never feel like that. I am thrilled about this baby.” He places his hand on her lower belly.

            “I know, but I wanted this,” she takes his hand in her own and moves it to cover his stomach, “for you so badly. You want to experience this for yourself.”

            He looks at the test bag. “I’m scared.”

            “If it’s negative, we’ll try again. If it’s positive, we’ll buy a second crib.”

            Nathan takes a deep breath and takes the test out of the bag.

 

            It’s the longest three minutes of his life. He sits on the edge of the bath tub and gnaws on his thumb nail the entire time. When he has chewed most of the nail off, he shifts for a second so his powers regenerate the nail so he can start over again. It’s a nasty habit, and Lycea detests it. But, instead of getting onto him about it like she usually does, she lets him do it. She knows how stressed he is.

            “Babe, it’s time to look.”

            He shakes his head. “I can’t look. You do it.”

            “Nathan…” She picks up the bag and walks closer to him. She sits down on the closed toilet lid beside him.

            He looks up at her. “Will you please just look? Soften the blow a bit.”

            She squeezes his neck and pulls out the test. It takes her a few seconds to psych herself up before she looks. “Oh my gosh.” She grabs his hand and pulls his fingers away from his teeth. “Oh my gosh.”

            “What?”

            “Oh my gosh.” She wraps her husband in a hug. She kisses him on the cheek. “Congratulations.”

            Nathan freezes. For a second he is completely motionless. He doesn’t move, he doesn’t blink, he doesn’t even breathe. “What?”

            She pulls back and looks at him. “You’re going to be a dad and a mom. Here,” she says as she hands him the test.

            He looks at it dumbly. “It’s positive.” He laughs, and it’s a little hysterical. “It’s positive. Oh, wow.” He smiles and kisses his beautiful wife. “I love you so much. Thank you. Thank you.”

            “For what?”

            “For getting us pregnant!” Nathan gasps. “We’re having twins. I’m a twin, and I’m having twins. I… do you think they’ll look alike? They’re fraternal, right? I hardly think they’d be identical since they have two different mothers. But, they have the same two sets of genes either way…”

            Lycea just smiles as he rambles on and on.

 

 

 

            They don’t tell everyone immediately. Instead, they wait a week until Deaton can confirm it. He’s out of town again, (AGAIN, seriously!) but he lets Nathan come in first thing when he gets back. It doesn’t take long for Deaton to get the ultrasound machine out and confirm that Nathan really is pregnant.

            As soon as they leave the Vet’s, Nathan pulls his phone out. “You call.”

            Lycea rolls her eyes but dials for her husband.

            “Hello?” Derek answers.

            “Hi, Mr. Hale.”

            Nate interrupts, “Who is it?”

            “It’s your dad… your **dad** dad. Derek, your dad. Geeze, Nate, I’m on the phone… Mr. Hale?”

            “Yes?” Derek replies.

            “Sorry about that. He’s a little excited.”

            “I can hear that,” he chuckles.

            “Um, sir. I mean, Derek… Dad. We just got done at a doctor’s appointment and have some news. Do you think you could call a pack meeting tonight?”

            “Sure.” Derek huffs, “Is everything alright?”

            “Everything’s great.”

            “Stiles and I’ll get the food. Is pizza fine?”

            “Yes,” Lycea nods even though he can’t see her through the phone. “Pizza’s fine.”

            Nathan interrupts again. “No onions.”

            Lycea laughs. “Nate says no onions, and I have to agree.”

            “Okay. Thirty six pizzas, no onions. I’ll see you both around six.”

            “Six. That’s great.”


	6. Oh baby

            The pack is piled in the Old Hale House when Nathan and Lycea finally get there. They’re only there for a few minutes before Wyatt Whittemore crosses his arms and turns a stink eye toward the couple.

            “Well, we already know you got her pregnant. Why’d we have to come here again?”

            Nathan always liked Luke better.

            Logan smacks Wyatt in the head. “You get free pizza out of it. At least try to pretend you’re interested.”

            “Just because you’re my brother-in-law now doesn’t mean I have to listen to you.”

            Logan looks at Nathan and rolls his eyes. “So, bro. What’s the news?”

            Lycea speaks first. “We had a doctor’s appointment today,” she says smiling.

            Laura sits up a little straighter. “It’s too early to know if it’s a boy or a girl, isn’t it?”

            Lycea laughs. “Yeah, a bit too early for that.” She turns to her husband. “Nate, go on.”

            Nathan blushes. “Dad. Dad. Everyone… We’re having twins.”

            The whole room cheers and hugs are distributed all around.

            “I’m so happy for the both of you,” Stiles says as he finishes hugging his daughter-in-law. “But, I can tell you from experience, carrying two babies is a lot harder than carrying one.”

            “I don’t doubt it.” Lycea laughs. “It makes me thankful I’m only having one.”

            The entire room furrows their brows in unison. “What?” Derek asks.

            Lycea points to her stomach. “There’s only one in there.”

            Stiles backs away from her. “What do you mean?” He looks at Derek and then back to Nathan and his wife. “I’m so confused. You just said that you were having two and then…”

            Lycea laughs. She unzips her jacket to reveal her shirt. It says, “Mom to baby one.”

            The whole pack is staring at her like she’s crazy when they hear another jacket unzipping. “Mom to baby two” is printed across Nathan’s shirt.

            Stiles’ eyes open comically wide. “Nathan?”

            Nathan blushes a little bit. “Surprise.” The crowd is speechless. “It’s a long story involving me being incredibly stupid and selfish a couple years ago, wanting to have a family now, and Yiayia, of course.”

            “Of course,” Derek says sarcastically. His tone is deep and guarded, “and you’re… You’re happy this time?”

            Tears come to Nathan’s eyes. “Ecstatic.”

            Stiles finally snaps out of his shock. “Oh, Nathan.” They hug. “Oh my gosh. I’m so happy for you! At Thanksgiving, we talked, but I didn’t expect…”

            “Dad, you better tell me everything.”

            “Oh, trust me. I will.” He pulls away from Nathan but keeps his hands on his son’s shoulders. He turns to look at his husband. “Derek, where’s the book?”

 

 

 

            When Lycea wakes up one morning and realizes her pants don’t fit, she cries. Nathan realizes the same thing about his pants, jumps up and down, and squeals.

            When Lycea complains about her tender chest, she whines. Nathan proceeds to chest bump his brother.

            When Lycea starts craving jelly donuts with tuna and hot sauce, Nathan decides he better find a good spot to hide his own stash.

            When Nathan starts complaining about his ankles swelling, Lycea makes him sit down so she can massage them. They’re not even that bad- men are babies. Men who are having a baby are even bigger babies.

            When Nathan realizes he can no longer bend over, he growls at his wife. She’s figured out how to grab stuff with her toes and pick things up that way. Try as he might, he can’t do it. Logan took a picture of him trying once- he had to buy a new camera.

            When they both realize that they can no longer cuddle together in bed because their stomachs are in the way, they make grabby hands at each other and pout the whole night. They finally devise a way to curl around each other, kinda like the yin-yang symbol, and they are able to sleep again.

            When the babies start to kick, they place one hand on their own stomach and the other hand on each other’s so they can both feel both babies at the same time.

            When everyone in the pack BEGS them to find out the sex of the babies, they refuse, because they want it to be a surprise.

            When they are finally allowed to see the nursery, they both cry. And, they both blame it on the hormones.


	7. Warning: May have labor inducing effects

            Nathan and Logan are alone in the Hale house while the rest of the pack men are out running. “I told you I didn’t need a babysitter,” Nathan sighs. He shifts around in the dining room chair, trying to find a more comfortable position.

Logan tries not to stare at his brother’s stomach. It’s freakin’ huge! “Our dads insisted. Trust me, I’d rather be out running than sitting here while you eat tuna sandwiches and red hots.”

            “Hey,” Nathan feigns shock, “these are hot tamales not red hots. Get your spicy cinnamon candies right.”

            Logan laughs. Nathan pushes himself up and waddles to the sink. Suddenly, it feels like his stomach twists. He groans.

            “What’s wrong?!” Logan rushes around the table to him.

            Nathan sighs. “Would you stop? I’m fine. Stop panicking. I have two weeks left until I’m even due.”

            “You could go early. People go early sometimes.” Logan holds his arms out like he’s ready to catch his brother in case he falls.

            Nathan tosses the last three candies into his mouth and rolls his eyes. “Wanna watch a movie?”

            “Are you sure you’re okay?”

            “Yessssssss,” Nathan moans.

            “Fine. I’ll watch a movie.”

 

            They’re not even half way through _Avatar_ when Nathan realizes his eyes are definitely getting blurry. At first, he thought it was just the effects of watching that specific movie on a high definition television, but now he knows there’s something else going on. He has a strange, itchy feeling under his skin. He thinks back and realizes that his stomach has been cramping on and off since last night. He flexes his fingers as a rush of tingling shoots through his whole body.

            “Logan, go get Dad.”

            Logan is so entranced in the film that he doesn’t register the panic in his brother’s voice. “What?”

            “Go get Dad. I think I’m in labor.”

            “What?! Holy crap.” Logan jumps off the couch and bursts through the back door.

 

            Once in the woods, he quickly picks up on the scent of the pack and rushes after them.

            “DAD!” Stiles and Derek both stop in their tracks and look at their son. “NATHANISINLABOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

            “What?!” they shout, but they immediately take off running back to the house.

 

            Logan and his parents get back to the house within three minutes from when he first left the house. They stop dead in their tracks. Sitting stately on the back porch is a huge, black wolf.

            “Nathan,” Stiles whispers in disbelief.

            “Whoa,” Logan breathes. “That’s him? He’s beautiful.”

            Derek starts to step forward but stops when the wolf stands and snarls. The animal crouches down and growls a vicious, feral growl. Suddenly, it whimpers and its whole body trembles. Within moments, it has recovered from the contraction and is growling at the men again.

            “Back up, Derek,” Stiles cautions. He obeys, and the wolf sits back on its haunches. “We won’t be able to get close to him,” Stiles informs the small group.

            “That means we won’t be able to help him.” Derek sighs and waves his hand toward his son.

            The wolf immediately lowers and growls at the motion. The next contraction seems to startle him, and he yelps and scurries back into the house.

            His family can hear the wolf quietly whimpering. They get close enough to see it cowering under the dining room table before it charges back out with snapping teeth. Stiles, Derek, and Logan move back as far as the doorway. Nathan’s wolf seems satisfied with them there.

            That is… until Laura bursts in through the front door.

            She slams the door as she marches into the house. “Nathan! If you’d answer your phone, you’d know your wife was in LABOR!” She stops when she sees the wolf and screams.

            Logan looks at her. “He’s a little busy at the moment.”

            “Nathan?” she asks. “Oh my gosh.”

            The black animal turns and stalks toward her- making threatening noises with every step. He glares at her and begins to circle around her. She tries to be as motionless as she can be the entire time. Satisfied with his findings, he makes a sneezing noise, turns, and trots off down the hallway.

            Laura finally relaxes a little. “What are we supposed to do?! Lycea’s already freaked out because her water broke, and now he’s in labor, too!!!”

            The wolf comes back into view and the family quiets. He goes straight to Laura and grabs the hem of her shirt with his teeth. Laura gasps a little. He pulls her like a dog pulls a rope toy.

            Wide-eyed, she looks at her dad. “What’s he doing?!”

            Stiles waves his hands. “I don’t know.” The wolf growls and keeps tugging.

            She stops resisting and lets her brother pull her along. Her family follows at a safe distance.

            Nathan continues pulling her, guiding her to the downstairs bathroom. He pulls her into it, releases her, and then lies down.

            “Oh my gosh!” Laura screams to her family. “I think he wants me to help him!” She stares at the wolf with wide eyes. “Dad, what do I do?!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            Nathan slowly opens his eyes and blearily looks around his childhood room. He rises up on his elbows and turns over so he can sit up. The room doesn’t really spin, but it feels like everything’s moving in slow motion. He puts his hand on his flat stomach and is surprised for some reason. He shifts his eyes around the room trying to make sense of things.

            Stiles quietly enters the room. “You okay?”

            Nathan looks up at him. His voice is weak when he speaks. “I’m not sure.” He feels out of it. He was never a party-er, but he has a feeling this is what it feels like to black out. Did he get high last night? What on earth is going on?!

            “The confusion will go away soon. You’ll be fine.” Stiles sits down on the bed and pats his son’s leg.

            “What happened?”

            “Your beautiful baby girl didn’t want to wait two more weeks to meet you.” Stiles gets a pillow and forces his son to lie back and relax.

            “I had a baby?” Nathan slumps and covers his face. “I don’t even remember getting married. Or sex. That’s important in having a baby too.”

            “Nate, calm down. You’re starting to ramble like your brother.” Stiles chuckles and reaches to wipe the damp hair off of Nathan’s forehead.

            Everything rushes back to him at once. Nathan suddenly gasps and jerks back up. “Where is she?!”

            Stiles pushes him back to the bed. “Don’t worry. She’s fine. Everyone’s fine. Your baby girl is at the hospital with your wife and baby boy.”

            “What?! I missed it? Ly… Lycea had the baby without me?!”

            “She had the baby at the same time as you. It’s a long story, but you went into labor at the house. Lycea was out shopping with the girls, and her water broke. She went to Deaton’s because it was closest. By the time we got you there, she’d already had the baby. Since both babies were born within minutes of each other, we made up a story. We called an ambulance and told them Lycea went into labor while shopping- true- and had twins at the vet’s office- half true.”

            Nathan laughs weakly at his dad’s additions to the story.

            “The ambulance took the three of them to the hospital. They got checked out, and they’re all healthy. Plus, this way both babies have legal birth certificates. Yay.”

            “I can’t believe I missed it.”

            “Hey, don’t beat yourself up. You had a very important role in one of them.”

            “In both of them if you count putting them there.”

            Stiles laughs. “When you feel up to it, we’ll take you up to see them.”

            “Let me get dressed.” He starts to get up, but Stiles pushes him back.

            “Whoa, whoa, whoa. No way. It’s only been three hours. You need to rest.”

            “I’m fine, I swear.” Nathan pleads with his dad.

            “You look like you could pass out at any minute. Wait a couple more hours. That’s all I ask. Then, we’ll take you up.”

 

 

            Nathan runs to his wife’s hospital room but skids to a stop when he sees that the door is closed. He awkwardly knocks and waits until he hears a “come in”.

            He charges toward his wife and squeezes her in a tight hug. “Oh my gosh are you okay?!”

            “I’m fine. Are you okay? You looked like you were dead when they brought you in to Deaton’s.”

            “I don’t remember any of that. Well, I sorta remember Laura, but I really don’t remember anything. I’m fine, though. I wanted to come here sooner, but neither dad would let me. I really freaked everyone out by going early.”

            “They said it was beautiful.” When he frowns she continues. “Your wolf. They said it was beautiful. Completely onyx black except for tufts of brown in your ears. One green eye and one brown eye, too.”

            “Wow. I wish I could have seen that.”

            “Knowing your brother, there’ll be pictures.” Nathan laughs and stands up from where he was sitting. “Oh no fair!”

            “What?” he asks his wife.

            “Your stomach is flat. Nate, that’s totally unfair. Look at me.” She points to her stomach. “I still look pregnant. I’m going to actually have to work out and eat healthy.”

            Nathan shakes his head. “You do that anyway.”

            “Yeah, I know, but...” She ‘tsks’ and sighs.

            Nathan smiles and finally asks his most important question. “Where are our kids?”

            “In the nursery. I’ll call for them.” She pushes the nurse’s call button and says that the father is finally there. “They think you were away at work.”

            “Okay.” He leans over and kisses her. “What are their names?”

            “Well, I thought we’d go with the ones we settled on if it was a girl and a boy, but it’s not official yet. I wanted to wait until you got here.”

            The nurse walks in pushing a little plastic bassinet. “Baby boy Hale.”

            Lycea looks at her and corrects her. “Dylan. Dylan Andrew Hale.”

            “I’ll go get the papers.” The nurse exits the room, leaving the couple alone with their child.

            Nathan smiles as he picks up his son. “Hi, little fella.” He turns to his wife. “He looks like you.”

            “Oh just wait. She looks exactly like you.”

            When the nurse comes back in, Nathan passes Dylan to Lycea. The nurse asks, “And her name?”

            Nathan answers, “Dylaena Nicole Hale.”

            The nurse leaves the birth papers in the room and leaves. Nathan immediately scoops up Dylaena and holds her close. “Hi, baby girl.” His eyes get watery as he looks at her.

            “Don’t tell me you’re playing favorites already.” Lycea smiles knowingly.

            “No. I’m not. I swear. It’s just… I had her. I have a stronger connection to her already.”

            “I get it,” Lycea replies. “I kinda feel the same way about Dylan.”

            “I love them both, though.”

            “Yeah, me, too.”


	8. Happy Family

            Logan softly knocks on the door. A couple minutes later Nathan opens it with a yawn. “Hey bro,” Logan smiles. “You look tired.”

            “I was asleep.”

            “Sorry, I woke you, then. I know having kids cuts back on your sleep.”

            “Oh, no.” Nathan shakes his head. “Both kids slept fine. I was just taking a nap.”

            Logan frowns. “Oh.” He walks further into the house. “Dads are coming by soon. They have something for you guys.”

            “They don’t have to get us anything else. We’re fine.”

            “They want to.” Logan looks around the house before he sits on the couch. “It’s silent in here.”

            “So?”

            “You have two week old twins, and your house is silent. That’s weird.”

            “It’s not weird,” Nathan defends. “They just don’t cry that much.”

            “Are you sure they’re okay? Like, their lungs are developed right aren’t they?”

            Nathan sighs. “They’re fine.” He hears a car pull up and gets ready to greet his parents.

            Stiles and Derek walk in. They put some gift bags down and hug Nate.

            “I need a shower, so sorry if I smell. I just got up, and I haven’t had a chance. I gave Lycea first dibs on the warm water.”

            “Rough night with the twins?” Derek asks.

            “Nope. I was just sleeping in late. The twins are fine.”

            “Apparently they don’t cry,” Logan informs his parents.

            “They don’t cry?!” Stiles is worried as usual.

            “Don’t worry. They cry. Trust me, they cry. They both just sleep really well.”

            Lycea comes in carrying Dylaena. She’s dressed in a pretty pink sundress.

“I’ll go get Dylan,” Nathan offers.

            “No,” she insists. “You take her. I’ll go back and get him.” She transfers her baby girl to Nathan, and Nathan looks to his dads.

            “Who wants her?”

            “ME!” Stiles practically squeals and pushes his mate out of the way. “I want her.”

            Derek growls. “There’s two of them, babe. That means I still get to hold one.” Stiles sticks his tongue out at him. “You’re a child. We’ve been married close to thirty years, have three children, two grandchildren, and you’re still a child!” He stops arguing when his grandson is placed in his arms. “Hi, Dylan. Hi, baby.”

            Stiles, ever the paranoid detective, corners Lycea about the babies’ sleeping habits. “I’ve heard these two aren’t much of any criers.”

            “Oh, they cry plenty. But, they’re little angels really.”

            “How do they sleep?” he pushes.

            “Great. They go to sleep at seven, and wake up at ten, three, and eight. They’re just babies, so they sleep a lot through the day, too.”

            Nathan cuts in. “They never miss a feeding, though. When they’re hungry you know it.”

            “Do they eat well?” Stiles continues to question.

            “Well, we’re trying to breastfeed. Dylan does great, but Dylaena won’t have me at all. So, Nate’s in charge of feeding her.”

            Logan grimaces and shifts in his chair. Nathan smacks him. “Using formula you idiot. I know what you were thinking. What is wrong with you?!”

            “Dude! You got pregnant. Pretty much anything is possible.”

            “Does it look like I have breasts?” He gestures to his chest.

            Dylan starts to wriggle in his grandfather’s arms. “Nate, stop, you’re scaring your son.”

            “Nathan slumps and takes his child. “Sorry fella. I didn’t mean to scare you. No. You shouldn’t be scared of me. Your aunt and uncle are the ones to watch out for.”

            “He’s lying, Dylan,” Logan mumbles as he stands and bends to kiss his nephew’s sweet head.

            Stiles passes Dylaena to Derek and goes to get the gift bags.

            Nate and Lycea open bag after bag of baby clothes, toys, and care items. Lycea gives a small smile. “You didn’t have to get all this. It’s too much.”

            “We’re not done yet,” Derek smiles. He takes an envelope from Stiles and gives it to his son and daughter in law. They open it and look at him. “It’s a booking at the photography studio. They do those generations portraits. There will be four generations- your grandpa, us, you, and the twins.”

            Nathan stands and hugs his parents. “That’s awesome. Thank you so much.”

 

 

 

 

            When the pictures are developed and ordered, Derek gets a copy and places it in a carved wooden frame. He loves photography and capturing memories. He smiles as he looks at the four generations in the photo. He can see how time has taken its toll on the former Sheriff and Melissa. He can see the gray on both his and his husband’s heads. He can see the love in his son’s eyes as he holds onto his wife and twins. It’s a great picture, and he hangs it in a prominent place on “The Picture Wall”- beside wedding photos, school pictures, and group pictures from their many pack gatherings.

            Derek smiles, content with his life and thankful for all the good things he has allowed himself to have.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love comments and constructive criticism!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU FOR READING!!!


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